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When a team gets clobbered, 8-0, there’s not much analysis. Dillon Gee was hammered, and it wasn’t the first time. Also, the offense took the night off. The nugget of interest came in the bottom of the seventh when Terry Collins pulled David Wright and Daniel Murphy, the Mets’ two most productive hitters.

CARRASCO: Idiot.

Normally, you’d think he was giving his players rest during a lost cause except for the timing.

In the top of the inning, reliever D.J. Carrasco gave up a homer to Rickie Weeks then drilled Ryan Braun on the next pitch. So much for being subtle. Carrasco was immediately ejected, as he should have been, but everybody knows it won’t end there. The Brewers must get their pound of flesh. Retaliation is in order.

Wright, being a team leader, was willing to take the hit to end the issue. “If anybody is going to get hit, it’s me,” Wright said.

Collins didn’t want it to happen. “At this level, somebody is going to get hit,” Collins said. “And it wasn’t going to be David Wright tonight. I can’t control what’s going to happen down the road. He’s not going to get hurt in this game, in this situation, tonight.”

Collins was protecting his player; Wright was willing to take one for the team. What’s not to like? They both care and that’s a good sign. Both projected passion. Both demonstrated why their contracts should be extended, and in Wright’s case why he should be named captain.

Carrasco is the one wearing the black hat. Because he wasn’t good enough to get out Weeks, he had to hit Braun. Really, a gutless act. It wasn’t like he was protecting his hitters because one of them was hit. It wasn’t as if Weeks was bunting in a blowout. It wasn’t as if there was bad blood between the Mets and Brewers. There is now.

What Carrasco did was a hotheaded, selfish act. First, the Mets needed him to eat innings to protect the bullpen as they are entering a grueling stretch of games. Most importantly, he was putting his teammates at risk. Who is to say the retaliation pitch – that will undoubtedly come – won’t give Wright another concussion, or break Murphy’s hand, or hit the knee of Ike Davis?

Well i have conflicting thoughts on this. I like that David wants to stand in there and take one for the team. As you say that is a leader.

I also do not mind so much the pitchers actions. Yes you should not hit the next batter because someone hit one over the wall. On the other hand this team has been gutless for a very long time. During Piazza’s time everyone hid behind the bleachers. Piazza gets plunked by Clemens and everyone sits on their hands. Piazza gets a bat thrown at him by the same putz in the post season and everyone sits on their hands. I don’t want to see this team be a bunch of thugs, but there should be respect. Baseball is a non contact sport..mostly. But pitchers should knock you down if you showboat or if the other pitcher throws at your guys.